Will’s Thoughts – Age Is Not An Excuse For Not Doing Things
I really hate it when people tell me to act my age, especially at my age. I guess it’s because while other folks are afraid of growing old, I’m afraid of growing old and boring. As others are afraid of losing their looks, I’m afraid of losing my dreams. While others fear losing their youth, I fear losing my soul. Why is it that for half of our lives, we’re told to act our age, but the remainder we’re told not to? Heck, even when we’re old, we still get an occasional ‘act your age’. At what point are we no longer subject to this demand for maturity? At what point do we replace the optimism and joy of youth, with the pessimism and sorrow of old age? I reckon that if we didn’t know our age, some of us would choose to look and act young, while others would choose to look and act old. I choose to feel and act young because I know that feelings lead to attitudes, attitudes become beliefs, and beliefs are the basis for actions – no matter what our age.
Lots of people use their age as a convenient excuse. “Oh, I’m too old for that”, “I’m too old to start something new”, or “I couldn’t learn that at my age”. These are really just metaphors for “I’m old and ready to die”. Other people though, go on to achieve their greatest accomplishments in the later years of their lives. For example, Colonel Harland Sanders started franchising his chicken outlets when he was 65 years old. Right up to ripe old age of 90, he traveled 250,000 miles every year visiting KFC franchises. Yes, he overcame personal and business adversities, but most importantly, he did not let age stand in his way. Remember that no one completes you, except you. Pursue your passions. Live your dreams. Be aware that life does not get easier with age, it gets more challenging.
Please, don’t be afraid or lose your capacity to love. Don’t use age as an excuse to date or marry because you’re miserable. Don’t drink because you have troubles, or gamble because you think winning is inevitable. Don’t associate with people you can’t trust, and don’t cheat, lie and pretend. Don’t dictate just because you might be smarter, or demand because you’re stronger. Don’t hurt your kids, because loving them is harder. Say what you need to, and never let ‘the moment’ pass. Do what you must, even at the risk of society’s scorn. Write poetry, love deeply, walk barefoot, hold hands and dance with wild abandon. Cry at the movies and let your motorcycle roar. Take care of yourself, rather than waiting for someone else to. Don’t count years, start making years count.
In a universe that is billions and billions of years old, how can anyone seriously expect me to become mature in less than 100? So, before you slay play, put the run on fun or make it miles between smiles, think about what you’re doing. Bridle yourself with age if you want, but if you try to bridle me, you’ll git bit. Saddle yourself with woe if you want, but try to cinch it on me, and I’ll kick your … over the fence. Old age isn’t an ending, it’s a gateway to new beginnings. Don’t fear growing older, fear growing up, and remember friend, if you ain’t giving, you ain’t living.
Will’s thoughts prove that everybody has opinions, but he has way more than he should. From dogs that won’t stop barking, to the antics of his spouse, ‘Crazy Lady’, Will’s Thoughts will make you smile.
